Methods and apparatus for coupling an accessory to clothing items

ABSTRACT

A coupling element adapted to couple an accessory to a clothing item includes including an external surface and an internal surface surrounding an opening. The external surface is adapted to fixedly attach to the clothing item, and the opening and the internal surface are adapted to receive, engage and detachably couple with the accessory. Numerous other aspects are provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to apparel, and in particular, relates to a method and apparatus for coupling an accessory to clothing items such as footwear.

BACKGROUND

Clothing items including footwear may be provided with ornamental features known as accessories. Examples of such accessories include embroidery, patches, pins, jewelry, pendants, Swarowski-crystal patterns, etc. Typically, such accessories are integrated (e.g., sewn in) with the clothing items or footwear (‘clothing items’ as used hereinafter includes footwear), making it difficult to add or change an accessory without changing the entire clothing item. Furthermore, in order to keep the accessories and thus the total cost of the clothing item at a reasonable level, accessories often are made from the least expensive materials available, and are often not of the quality as they are intended to be, reducing the attractiveness of the clothing items of which they are a part.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of an exemplary coupling element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of a closed loop coupling element arranged into a plurality of looped sections according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of another exemplary coupling element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a coupling element according to an embodiment of the present invention coupled to an example clothing item.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a coupling element according to another embodiment of the present invention coupled to another example clothing item.

FIG. 5A is a side view of an example accessory which may be coupled to the coupling element for adornment of a clothing item according to the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing an insertion of an example accessory into a coupling element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a photograph of a thong sandal bearing an accessory coupled to the thong sandal via a coupling element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a photograph of a brassiere bearing an accessory coupled to the brassier via a coupling element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the present invention, a coupling element is provided which allows accessories, such as embroidery, patches, pins, jewelry, pendants, etc., to be coupled to a clothing item for adornment while allowing the accessory to be easily detached and removed from the coupling element and clothing item. The coupling element may comprise a loop, a strap or a patch made of fabric, although other shapes and materials may be used. The coupling element may have an external surface adapted to be fixedly attached to a clothing item, for example, by sewing or gluing, and may have an internal surface adapted to contact and secure a fastening element of an accessory, such as a clip. In this manner, an accessory may be detachably coupled to the coupling element, allowing the accessory to be easily removed and, if desired, replaced with a different accessory. The coupling element may be formed so that it matches and blends well aesthetically with the clothing item to which it is attached so that the appearance of the clothing item is not adversely affected by the attachment of the coupling element when an accessory is not used and the coupling element is exposed. Furthermore, the incorporation of a coupling element on a clothing item may insulate the wearer from direct contact with an accessory, minimizing discomfort and/or abrasion that might otherwise be caused by attachment of accessories.

FIG. 1A shows a schematic perspective view of an example coupling element 100 adapted to couple an accessory to a clothing item according to the present invention. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1A, the coupling element 100 comprises a loop or closed strip which may be made any suitable fabric. The coupling element 100 includes an opening 102 adapted to receive and accessory, a first, external surface 104 a second, internal surface 106.

FIG. 1B shows a modified version 100′ of the closed loop coupling element shown in FIG. 1A in which a plurality of loop sections (in this case three sections) 110, 112, 114 are created by joining top and bottom portions of the loop 100 at seams 120, 122. In some embodiments, the central loop section 112 is adapted to receive an accessory through an opening 116, and has dimensions suited for this purpose. For example, the central loop section 112 may be about 0.1 to 0.5 inches wide (taken along the length of the loop 100′), and more preferably, about 0.25 inches wide.

FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a coupling element 200 according to the present invention. As shown, the coupling element 200 is formed in the shape of a pocket that has an opening 202, but is otherwise enclosed. It is noted that the loops 100, 100′ can also be modified into ‘pockets’ by closing the opening on one side of the loop 100, 100′. The pocket 200 may also be made of a fabric material designed to blend with a clothing item to which it may be coupled.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an example clothing item 300 including a coupling element 100′ according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the example embodiment shown, the clothing item 300 comprises a thong sandal (‘flip-flop’) having a base 302 and a thong 304 that branches at a Y-portion 306 including arms 308, 310. For purposes of adornment and display, a coupling element 100′ is attached and positioned toward the front of the sandal 300 in the region of the Y-portion 306, which also provides the advantage of having supporting surfaces at arms 308, 310 to facilitate the attachment of the coupling element 100′. For example, a first (e.g., lower) surface of the first end section of the coupling element 110 may be coupled to arm 308 and a first surface of the second end section 114 may be coupled to arm 310, leaving the middle section 112 free to suspend from the end sections 110, 114. It is noted however, that the coupling element 100′ may be attached to other portions of the clothing item 300, and that in some embodiments, the middle section 112 may be coupled to the clothing item instead of one or more of the end sections 110, 114. As noted above, the end sections 110, 114 of the coupling element 100′ may be attached to the clothing item 300 in various ways. For example, lower surfaces of end sections 110, 114 may be sewn or glued onto the arms 308, 310 in the Y-portion of the thong 304. Alternatively, the end sections 110, 114 may be tied onto the arms 308, 310 using strings (e.g., through the loops of the end sections).

FIG. 4 shows a frontal view of another example clothing item 400 including a pocket-shaped coupling element 200 according to the present invention. In the depicted example, the clothing item 400 comprises a brassiere having cups 402, 404 attached by a strap 406. A pocket-shaped coupling element 200 is attached to the brassiere 400 and oriented so that the opening 202 is on the top. The coupling element 200 may be preferably positioned centrally on the strap 406 between the two cups 402, 404 of the brassiere 400. In this position, the coupling element 200 may be attached (e.g., via sewing, gluing, tying, etc.) to the strap 406 and also possibly to sides of the cups 402, 404 to provide a stable coupling.

It is to be appreciated that the examples above in which a loop-shaped coupling element is used with a thong sandal, and a pocket-shaped coupling element is employed with a brassiere are merely exemplary, and that there is no limitation as to the types of coupling elements that may be used with a given clothing item. For example, a loop-shaped coupling element 100 may also be used with a brassiere.

FIG. 5A shows a side view of an example accessory 500 that may be coupled to a clothing item via the coupling element according to the present invention. The accessory includes an ornament 502, which in the depicted example is a crystal (costume or otherwise), but, as noted above, may be any type of ornamental feature. The ornament 502 rests on a first surface of a backing 504. A fastening element 506 is positioned on the second side of the backing 504. In the depicted example the fastening element is implemented as a spring-clip, but the fastening element may be generally comprise any device that enables a secure attachment to a coupling element 100, 100′, 200, including (among others) a hinged clip, a paper-clip fastener, a ribbon, dual magnets that close around a portion of the coupling element 100, 100′ 200, and any other mechanism suitable for fastening an accessory 500 to the coupling element 100, 100′, 200 in a manner that the fastening may be readily undone so that the accessory 500 may be detached from the coupling element 100, 100′, 200.

FIG. 5B illustrates insertion of the fastening element 506 of the accessory 500 shown in FIG. 5A (e.g., a spring clip) into the opening 116 in a coupling element 100′. During insertion, the fastening element 506 is in an ‘open’ state in which the fastening element 504 is positioned and/or oriented away (e.g., manually) from the backing 504. Once the fastening element 506 is inserted, the fastening element may be ‘closed’ such that the fastening element forces a portion 122 of the internal surface of the coupling element surrounding the opening 116 against the backing 504, thus providing a secure coupling between the accessory 500 and the coupling element 100′. This coupling is designed to be sufficiently secure that when the accessory 500 is worn, normal movements do not dislodge or change the orientation of the accessory 500 with respect to the clothing item 300, 400, while at the same time being easily detachable, by application of pressure to the fastening element, for example. The fastening element 506 of the accessory 500 may be similarly coupled to other types of coupling elements including the pocket-shaped coupling element 200.

FIG. 6 is a photograph of a thong sandal bearing a crystal or jewel accessory coupled to the front Y-portion of the thong via a coupling element according to the present invention and FIG. 7 is a photograph of a brassiere bearing another crystal or jewel accessory coupled to the center of the brassiere via a coupling element according to the present invention. As these photographs indicate, when the accessories are inserted, the coupling elements are largely obscured from view, allowing the accessories to appear to be ‘seamlessly’ coupled to the respective clothing items.

The foregoing description discloses only exemplary embodiments of the invention. Modifications of the above disclosed apparatus and methods which fall within the scope of the invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art.

Accordingly, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with exemplary embodiments thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims. 

1. A coupling element adapted to couple an accessory to a clothing item, comprising: a loop or an enclosure including an external surface and an internal surface surrounding an opening; and wherein the external surface is adapted to fixedly attach to the clothing item, and the opening and the internal surface are adapted to receive, engage and detachably couple with the accessory.
 2. The coupling element of claim 1, wherein the coupling element comprises a loop.
 3. The coupling element of claim 2, wherein the coupling element includes a plurality of loop sections.
 4. The coupling element of claim 1, wherein the coupling element comprises a pocket.
 5. The coupling element of claim 1, wherein the coupling element is formed so as to blend in appearance with the clothing item.
 6. The coupling element of claim 1, wherein the accessory includes a fastening element, the fastening element being insertable into the opening and adapted to engage with the internal surface of the coupling element.
 7. A clothing item adapted to include a removable accessory comprising: at least one clothing surface; a coupling element including an external surface and an internal surface surrounding an opening; and wherein the external surface of the coupling element is fixedly attached to at least one clothing surface and the opening and the internal surface are adapted to receive, engage and detachably couple with the accessory.
 8. The clothing item of claim 7, wherein the clothing item comprises footwear.
 9. The clothing item of claim 8, wherein the clothing item comprises a thong sandal having a thong portion and the external surface of the coupling element is coupled to the thong portion.
 10. The clothing item of claim 7, wherein the coupling element is formed so as to blend in appearance with the clothing item.
 11. The clothing item of claim 7, wherein the coupling element comprises a loop having a plurality of loop sections including a first end section, a middle section and a second end section.
 12. The clothing item of claim 11, wherein the first and second end sections are fixedly coupled to clothing surfaces of the clothing item, and the middle section is adapted to receive the accessory.
 13. A method of providing a clothing item with an accessory comprising: attaching a coupling element to the clothing item, the coupling element having an opening and a surface for receiving and engaging a fastening element of the accessory; inserting the fastening element of the accessory into the opening of the coupling element such that it couples to the surface of the coupling element in a detachable manner.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the coupling element is attached to the clothing item in a location that promotes display of the accessory.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the coupling element is formed so as to blend in appearance with the clothing item.
 16. The method of claim 13, wherein the coupling element comprises a loop or enclosure having an opening. 